YA Mulberry St.
3/1/17, 6:00PM-7:30PM
722 Mulberry St.
Reading, PA
Berks Teens Matter educates and trains high school students to be part of our mission to reduce teen pregnancy. These students become part of our Youth Ambassador program. One aspect of being a YA is to provide peer education to Olivet Boys and Girls club youth.
With the help of our YA coordinator, the high school students help run a weekly program at the boys and girls club that takes place throughout the year.
Working with kids ranging in ages 8-17, the YAs work one-on-one and in groups, discussing issues like healthy relationships, conflict resolution, anatomy, sexual health and reproduction. Through games, activities and tailored curriculum, OBGC students are given the opportunity to participate. They are also encouraged to submit a question via an anonymous question box at the end of each session.
The following notes are a summary of these weekly sessions.
- Attendees
- Alexandra Banks – Youth Ambassador Coordinator
- Onelia – Youth Ambassador
- Jesus – Youth Ambassador
- Genesis– Youth Ambassador
- Janeth – Youth Ambassador
- Meralis – Youth Ambassador
- Noriana – Youth Ambassador
- Lidia – Youth Ambassador
- The Art Room was reserved for us with 3 tables and extra chairs. As OBGC youth entered they took seats. We allowed them to stay where they were most comfortable as only 8 OBGC attended today’s session; 6 males and 2 females. No OBGC staff sat it on this session. The group rules newsprint was hung up on the wall as well as the “Circles of Sexuality” newsprint.
- Welcome
- Youth Ambassadors introduced themselves as returners to OBGC or new to this Spring program. They then took turns answering questions that were put in the anonymous question box last week. YAs split these questions up amongst themselves prior to the beginning of today’s lesson. They allowed youth to try answering before giving the correct answer.
- How big does a penis grow?
- Answers included: “In videos I’ve seen, anywhere from 9 to 12 to 22 inches.”
- Actual answer: Most (9/10) erect or “hard” penises are between 4-6 inches long and 2-4 inches long when flaccid or “not hard”.
- OBGC youth were surprised by this answer and shocked to find out that the penises seen in porn are not realistic or accurate.
- Is it nasty to eat ass? (X2)
- Answers included: “Yes because that is where we go to the bathroom and there are germs.”
- Actual answer: Just like most sexual activities, each person is different. Some people enjoy anal oral sex and some do not enjoy it at all. It is not “nasty” and each person has different sexual preferences. Remember when saying things such as “anal sex is nasty” you don’t know the personal preferences of those around you and it might not be your business.
- Does it feel better without a condom?
- Answers included: “I can definitely say yes, it feels better without a condom.”
- Actual answer: This is another personal preference! Although not using a condom may feel more intimate, there are many different types of condoms that may have ridges or grooves built into them to make sex feel better with a condom than it would without a condom. It may also be more enjoyable using a condom because you can relax and enjoy sex with your partner, knowing that you will not become pregnant and don’t need to worry!
- Why do females like to be eaten out?
- Answers included: none.
- Actual answer: Some females and males enjoy oral sex and others do not. Both of these are okay. However, some people enjoy oral sex because of the stimulation of the genitals that may not occur as much when engaging in another type of sexual activity.
- Does height and shoe size determine how big a penis is?
- Answers included: “No, that’s a myth.”
- Actual answer: NO! This is a myth! A man with small hands and small feet may have a larger penis and a man with large hands and large feet may have a smaller penis. Remember though, most penises are generally around the same size (2-4 inches flaccid, and 4-6 inches erect).
- Do a lot of people have sex? (assuming this means their peers)
- Answers included: “I feel like a lot of people our age say they have sex but they actually don’t. They just say it to sound cool like it’s the cool thing to do and say.”
- Actual answer: I would say that the age which kids are having sex for the first time has increased in recent years. (Meaning kids are waiting until they are a little older to have sex.) In 2015, 41% of kids had sex before they graduated from high school, which means that 49% did not. However, most people will have sex by early adulthood, so learning how to protect yourself and your partner is always a good idea.
- What are birth control pills/How do birth control pills work? (X2)
- Answers included: “A pill a girl can take every day that makes her not able to become pregnant.”
- Actual answer: Taking birth control pills is just one method of contraception. It works in that a woman is giving a monthly “pack” of pills with one pill in the pack for each day of the month. These pills should be taken each day at the same time. Each pill contains a mix of hormones that cause a woman’s body to not ovulate (not release an egg during her monthly menstrual cycle). Without an egg, there is no chance of becoming pregnant because there is nothing for the sperm to join with. Remember, the only 100% effective method of contraception is abstinence. If using birth control pills incorrectly (skipping a day, not taking them at the same time each day, etc.) may cause a woman to ovulate and become pregnant. Therefore, it may be important when using birth control pills to also use a back-up method of birth control such as a condom.
- Peer Education
- Sex: The Facts, The Acts and Our Feelings
- Introduction
- Circles of Sexuality (see results below)
- OBGC youth were introduced to the circles of sexuality which included sexualization, sensuality, intimacy, sexual health and reproduction, and sexual identity. They were then provided with definition cards and raised their hand to give their opinion on which circle the definition belonged in. OBGC youth did very well in this activity and felt that it was easy to understand. The definitions were:
- Sexualization – This is how sexuality is used to influence, manipulate or control other people. This includes sexual abuse, rape and sexual harassment. It also includes healthy ways of influencing others, such as flirting, trading texts and asking someone out.
- Sensuality – This is how a person feels about their body and how it responds sexually to stimulation through all the senses (touch, smell, taste, sound and sight).
- Intimacy – The experience of feeling emotionally close to another person and having those feelings of closeness returned. It’s all about relationships.
- Sexual Health and Reproduction – This includes the facts and attitudes about sexual intercourse and reproduction, how to take care of your sexual health, the negative things that can come from sexual intercourse, and how babies are made.
- Sexual Identity – This is how a person thinks of themselves and identifies as a sexual person. It includes male, female, trans, gay, straight, bisexual, queer and many other identities.
- OBGC youth were split into teams of 4 and given a “circles of sexuality” diagram. They were also given cards with 5 different stories or “teen profiles” on them. They were given 5 minutes to match the profiles to where it belongs in the circles of sexuality. All OBGC youth did this correctly for the most part and exhibited understanding on this topic.
- Discussion of the circles of sexuality was then held which asked the following questions to OBGC youth. The youth were very interested in answering the questions, especially the males. They showed an improvement in knowledge and that they understood what was taught. Discussion questions included
- After looking at these teen profiles, what do you think are the pleasures of sex for teens and what do you think the dangers of sex for teens are? Answers included that it feels good but a teen could become pregnant.
- Which circle do were usually mean when we talk about sex? Answer included sexual health and reproduction.
- One famous sex educator once said, “Sexuality is not something we do. It is something we are.” What do you think this quote means? Answers included that it means the same thing as when we say someone does not “do” gay but they “are” gay. It’s a part of who they are.
- Myths and Factors About Our Bodies
- OBGC youth were each given the true/false handout and asked to answer each question the best they could. Once they finished, we had each OBGC youth read a question aloud and if they answered it true or false and why. Youth Ambassadors would then take turns responding with the answer and the explanation provided in the curriculum.
- This activity generated very good conversations and many questions came up during this time. If we were unable to answer the question, youth were asked to remember the question for the question box at the end.
- Closing
- Youth were thanked for being respectful and participating a lot in this session. They were asked to provide one think they feel like they learned and would take away from today’s lesson.
- Answers included: I learned that female’s masturbate too; I learned that porn is not always real; I learned you can get pregnant on your period; I learned that there are ways other than sex for the cherry to get popped; I learned why girls might like to be eaten out.
- Anonymous Question Box – Ticket out the door
- Results
- Do chokers really mean that girls suck penis?
- Why when a boy eats out a girl he spreads out her vagina flaps?
- How many times can you finish and keep going?
- Do people get blue balls if they don’t masturbate?
- How wide can a vagina spread?
- Do penis enlargement pills hurt/ Do penis enlargement pills work? (This came up due to the “length of a penis” answer from last week and the discussion of porn.)
- How deep is a vagina?
- Youth were thanked for being respectful and participating a lot in this session. They were asked to provide one think they feel like they learned and would take away from today’s lesson.
- OBGC youth were introduced to the circles of sexuality which included sexualization, sensuality, intimacy, sexual health and reproduction, and sexual identity. They were then provided with definition cards and raised their hand to give their opinion on which circle the definition belonged in. OBGC youth did very well in this activity and felt that it was easy to understand. The definitions were:
- Sex: The Facts, The Acts and Our Feelings
- How big does a penis grow?
- Youth Ambassadors introduced themselves as returners to OBGC or new to this Spring program. They then took turns answering questions that were put in the anonymous question box last week. YAs split these questions up amongst themselves prior to the beginning of today’s lesson. They allowed youth to try answering before giving the correct answer.
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